


i just wanna look into your eyes

by unsaved_misc



Series: cotton candy suburbia - summertime au [1]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Anxiety, Bikes, Borrowing Clothes, Crushes, Fluff, Holding Hands, Ice Cream Parlors, M/M, Sort Of, Unrequited Crush, and no it is not mr beast, karl has asthma, karl's dad is an asshole, summertime au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 10:21:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30070776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unsaved_misc/pseuds/unsaved_misc
Summary: “you poor baby.” he mocked before giggling and pulling his hands away, and alex laughed too, but it was a little more muted. where karl’s fingers grazed his cheeks, alex’s skin tingled, like pressing a warm cup of hot chocolate to the sides of his face.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity/Karl Jacobs
Series: cotton candy suburbia - summertime au [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2212368
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29





	i just wanna look into your eyes

**Author's Note:**

> HEYYYOOOO this is for my summertime au, if ur confused or have any questions feel free to send me asks on my tumblr (honeybunwatson) or my curiouscat (hxllxwgirl) !! id love to talk about it :) also this au and fic is based off of the dsmp characters, not the irl ppl! so !! yeah!! anyway pls read :]

alex likes the familiar sound of karl’s keys jangling as he walks past the counter, light on his feet, his white converse scuffed yellow from being worn in the woods. it reminds him of  _ karl _ , really; whether he’s got them hanging around his neck as he walks, using them to open his car door, or in tonight’s case, locking up jessamine’s ice cream parlor where he works. alex enjoys the benefits that come with this, like the ice cream sandwiches karl sneaks him when he walks past his table, or letting him take a pint home of his choosing. tonight, as the sound of some indie band plays through karl’s bluetooth speaker, alex is eating a sample of the new flavor, something orange and citrusy, but muted. karl has been practically pacing back and forth for the past few minutes, trying to figure out if he was forgetting anything or took a misstep. he could be forgetful when it was his turn to lock up. alex took another spoonful, his eyes following karl as he double checked the cash register. 

“i think you got everything covered, karl.” alex said quietly, playing with the tiny, pink plastic spoon karl had given him. karl shook his head, bright blue eyes trailing up and down the register, his mouth moving as he counted.

“you know i always mess something up, alex. one time i left the lights on all night and one of them was fucked up the next day. the flickering was really distracting.”

“oh god,  _ the lights _ -” alex mocked in a deep voice before falling into a fit of giggles, karl waving him off but grinning too. 

“shut up! i take this shit seriously.” karl closed the register and pulled his backpack over, zipping it open and making sure everything was in order. “i hope i don’t, like, forget my inhaler or something…”

“you know i have your spare.” alex piped up, his heart feeling a little lighter at the thought, karl having to depend on him for something. it scared him too, thinking about what would happen if he fucked up and did it wrong. karl looked up at him, a genuine smile on his face. 

“i know. but you’re not always here when i close up. i have to be careful.” he looked back down at his bag again, opening the front zipper pocket and pulling out the small plastic contraption. it was purple, dinky, yet so very important. alex wondered how strange it was to associate such a thing with saving somebody’s life.

“also, are you sure you don’t want to take a pint home? i’m taking some regular chocolate with me.” karl refers to the grocery bag sitting on his counter, which he stuffs carefully into his backpack before zipping it back up. 

“karl, i already have 3 at home from you. my freezer won’t be able to fit anything else soon.” alex joked, finishing up his sample and tossing the small paper cup and spoon into the trash can. karl giggles, the same giggle that seems to burst out of him like music notes, his hand covering his mouth. alex wants to pull it away so he can see his smile.

“fine, fine. but i’m always your supplier if you need any ice cream.” he winked, doing a finger-gun symbol at his friend, and alex made a face.

“you make it sound as if you’re my drug dealer.” 

“i don’t know about you, alex, but i think ice cream is way better than weed. or coke. or heroin. don’t ask me how i know.” karl replied as he swung his backpack over his shoulders, and after a brief pause, both boys fell into a fit of laughter. karl never failed to make alex crack up, no matter if it was intentional or not. just his energy, pure warmth and brightness, lit up alex’s day without even trying to. their shoulders brushed as karl passed him, heading toward the front door, and alex’s skin buzzed. 

“you know, i was thinking about going to the record shop tomorrow. you, me, nick. i don’t know if he’ll actually get anything out of it, but i know you and i will. plus, maybe he’ll buy us lunch out of the goodness of his heart.” karl switched off the lights and opened the door to the parlor, the cool night breeze hitting both of their faces. south carolina could get pretty chilly at night, surprisingly, the black pavement now cold without the sun to shine on it. alex honestly loved how the temperature dropped at nighttime, breathing in the smell of fresh grass.

“hopefully. i’m tired of paying for lunch all the time.” alex said with a pout, and karl leaned in to cup his face.

“you poor baby.” he mocked before giggling and pulling his hands away, and alex laughed too, but it was a little more muted. where karl’s fingers grazed his cheeks, alex’s skin tingled, like pressing a warm cup of hot chocolate to the sides of his face. the breeze cooled it a bit, but alex didn’t see it going away any time soon. karl closed the door behind him, shifting through the keys on his lanyard and trying to find the right one. he’d painted each one with a different color of nail polish to remember; the one for the ice cream parlor was pink. alex listened to the familiar sound of the keys as he watched the palm trees sway in the wind, lights of the lampposts around their town dim and orange, reflecting warmly on the neat brick buildings of north magnolia.

the town was pretty, no doubt, but knowing what alex knew about karl’s dad, it seemed harder and harder to believe that everyone here was a genuinely nice person. they could make their baked goods from scratch or host their holiday fairs, but it didn’t change the fact that north magnolia was run by rich white guys. however, now that alex thought about it, if he’d never lived here, he never would’ve met his friends. nick. george. daryll.  _ karl _ . the thought brought forth a pit in alex’s stomach, as if thinking about it too much would rip him away from this reality. it scared him so much that, upon glancing back at the ice cream parlor’s wooden door, he was expecting an empty space where karl was standing. 

yet, this was not some sci-fi horror film, and alex was just a person with anxiety and an overactive imagination, because karl was still there, the lanyard now around his neck. alex breathed out a silent sigh of relief, and karl grinned at him.

“what’s up?” karl asked, playing with the ring around his finger, twisting it back and forth. it glinted in the light from the lamppost they were standing under.

“oh. nothing.” alex wasn’t about to explain how strange his brain worked, or why he was so worried karl would disappear from his life, even if karl would’ve understood. “thinking about what i should look for at the shop tomorrow. i gotta put you on some more mexican ballads.” he looked back at karl, who had a wide grin on his face, his eyes lit up.

“really? i’d love for you to pick some records out for me, as long as you listen to that japanese city pop i recommended.” karl replied, and alex groaned, stopping at the bike rack in front of the parlor.

“no, man, you know i hate pop music…” 

“please?” karl asked, now his turn to pout. “it’s not fair! i  _ always  _ listen to what you send me.” karl  _ did  _ have a point; whenever alex sent him a song on his late night bike rides, which could range from 10 at night to 3 in the morning, karl always listened and always sent a thought out response. and, what karl didn’t know was that alex did the same for him. it was harder for him to express how the songs made him feel, considering how he associated a lot of them with karl himself, but he always closed his eyes and stopped what he was doing to listen. karl was staring at him with puppy dog eyes, the breeze ruffling his shaggy chestnut brown hair.

“...fine.” alex said begrudgingly, and karl leaned into him with a cheer, hugging him tightly. it almost knocked alex off of his feet every single time, his cheeks pink in the dark. karl smelled like ice cream and cookies, the scent of the ac lingering behind on his clothes, and alex tried to hang onto it when karl pulled away from him and removed his bike chain. 

“you’ll love it, i just know you will.” karl said, beaming, and as they started to get on their bikes and pedal away from the shop, alex thought he probably would.

the two mainly kept quiet as they biked down familiar paved sidewalks and empty roads, only coming across a car every now and then. the breeze swept through their clothes as they coasted across the smooth ground, chilling through alex’s button-up shirt and peppering his arms with goosebumps. karl was wearing a pastel long-sleeve, the arms chunky and bunching around his wrists, which were rolled up from work. alex multitasked, keeping his eyes on the road in front of him while stealing glances of karl, observing how his bangs rustled across his forehead in the wind or how the streetlights shone down on his rosy cheeks and gave them a softer look. alex could even see his freckles from here, dotted across his face like they were intentional. 

the palmetto trees seemed to shift and move with them as they biked, as if they were reaching out and begging for the boys to stay. the sound of cicadas could be heard in the summer air as well, filling up the night with sound. they were one of the only noises that helped alex fall asleep besides the sound of cars driving by, and that was a little more difficult to come across. alex looked back at karl again, who looked at him and made a face, and both boys giggled as they swerved their bikes across the empty road.

to be honest, alex didn’t want to have to go home alone tonight. it was one of those tugging feelings he was starting to get more and more, telling him to ‘ _ stay _ ,’ knowing that having to come back to a silent home and be alone until tomorrow afternoon could go dreadfully. maybe it was conditioning, so used to having no friends in the past that alex thought they may all disappear if he didn’t constantly have them in his sights. and, if he really thought about it, alex’s greatest fear was being alone. he can’t even rely on the little things to distract himself, like comic books or playing toontown at 3 am or strumming guitar on his roof at night, because that fear is  _ always  _ there. it’s enough to make his heart start racing again, the steering on his bike wobbly, and he’s wondering how he can stop panicking when karl speaks up.

“do you want to sleep at my place tonight? that way we can go get breakfast tomorrow morning and then pick up the boys. it’s less of a hassle.” karl adjusts his hands on the handlebars as he speaks, pink and white nails glinting in the dark. alex feels a wave of relief wash over him, letting his shoulders relax.

“yeah, sure. unless your dad is…” alex isn’t sure how to finish the sentence.  _ not in an agreeable mood? insulting you as soon as you come through the door? just being an absolute prick? _

“it’s late. he’s probably up doing his taxes or whatever the fuck. adult shit.” karl jokes, and he giggles, and alex wonders how he stays so positive with a father like that. 

“fair enough. numbers aren’t real anyway.” alex mumbles, and karl bursts out laughing so hard he almost loses control of the bike. alex is glad his joke was funny.

it doesn’t take them much longer before they’re on karl’s street, or as nick likes to call it,  _ ‘bezos boulevard’ _ . it’s where most of the bigwigs in town live, though their houses aren’t too much bigger than everyone else's; there’s usually just an extra bedroom or bathroom, and sometimes a pool. karl only has a hot tub. they wheel their bikes up the driveway, walking them silently into the garage, of which karl has to reassure alex that the alarm  _ definitely  _ won’t go off. they creep into the kitchen, all black countertops on tawny wood, the floor tiled and clean. alex makes sure to take off his shoes, nervous that he’ll disturb the space. karl, however, does not care, setting his backpack on a chair and opening it up.

“do you want anything? like, water, capri suns...the monsters in my mini fridge upstairs…” karl winks, taking out his pint of chocolate ice cream out of his bag and stowing it in his freezer. surprisingly, it’s not as full of ice cream treats as alex thought it would be. or maybe alex is trying to play off the fact that karl just winked at him. 

“nah, i’m okay. i wanna be hungry enough for breakfast tomorrow morning.” he replies, and karl nods, taking his phone out of his backpack and shoving it in his jeans’ pocket.

“fair enough. shall we, then?” he extends a hand, waggling his fingers for dramatic effect, and alex stifles his snorting laugh before grabbing onto karl’s hand. it’s so warm despite just opening the freezer, and alex’s arm feels even colder.

“gosh, dude, you’re freezing! i’ll let you borrow one of my sweaters to sleep in.” karl says with a smile, leading alex through the kitchen and over to the staircase, padding up the carpeted steps. alex tries to act natural, feeling karl’s hand squeeze his every now and then, enveloped in the smell of his home and listening to the distant clock ticking downstairs, but it’s hard to not grin when he’s so comfortable and happy. they reach the landing, taking a right turn straight into karl’s bedroom, which is filled wall-to-wall with posters. they range from his favorite tv shows and movies to obscure bands and even pictures of magazines he’s cut out himself, giving his bedroom character. despite the collage of photos, his room is very neat and tidy, clothes folded correctly in his dresser and desk set straight with a line of all the different nail polishes he uses. karl squeezes his hand once more before letting go, plugging in his salt lamp and fairy lights and flicking off his regular lightswitch. he walks over to his dresser, pulling out a pale blue sweater and a pair of black shorts, tossing them to alex.

“here ya go!” he slips off his vans and begins to undress, pulling his shirt over his head, and alex hurriedly turns around to change, chewing on his lip. he’s seen karl shirtless plenty of times, but he still feels the need to give him privacy, fumbling with the buttons on his own shirt. he slips it off as well as his jeans, throwing on karl’s oversized sweater and shorts before finally turning back around. karl is dressed in a purple sweater and shorts, almost a mirror of what alex was wearing, nibbling on his nails.

“if you keep doing that, you’ll get acetone poisoning.” alex commented, and karl fell into yet another fit of giggles.

“shut up!” he said as he pushed alex lightly, his other hand covering his mouth. “with all the monster i drink, my heart will give out before then.” he reached down for his charger and plugged it into his phone, setting it down on the nightstand. he clambered onto the bed, which was made with a worn, knitted blanket over clean sheets that smelled of cookies. alex isn’t surprised. he sidles up next to his friend, getting underneath the cool sheets and pulling them up to his chin. 

alex used to think it was strange, sharing a bed with another person, specifically a  _ guy _ , but karl showed him that things like that didn’t matter. now, he’d make nests out of comforters and sleep tangled up with all of his friends without a care in the world. but, right now, why did alex suddenly feel smaller? he glances at karl, whose cedar-colored hair curls around his ears, long lashes tilted upward so he’s staring at the ceiling. 

“what’s wrong?” alex asks on instinct, his fingers curling inward toward his palm. karl tilts his head to the side so he’s looking at alex, his blue eyes lit up by the glow of the salt lamp, his face blank. alex isn’t sure of what he’s going to say but he can feel the buildup like it’s tangible, stilling his breathing for just a moment, unable to read karl’s expression for once in his life. and then, he speaks. 

“i forgot to take a shower.” he mumbles, and the two of them break into a fit of laughter, muffled by the sheets. alex can’t help but feel the tinge of disappointment in his stomach.

“hey, you can always take one tomorrow morning. there’s no rush.” alex replies, and karl shrugs, tilting his head to the side.

“yeah, i know. i just don’t want to bother you with my absolute  _ stench _ .” he joked, a grin on his face. alex shook his head.

“you don’t even smell bad! you just smell like ice cream.” he mumbled, a smile lurking on his lips. karl perks up, his eyes widening.

“i do? i guess i never realized…” he trailed off, lifting his hand up to his nose and giving it a sniff. 

“yeah, you work in an ice cream parlor, karl. you smell like it all the time.” alex stated matter-of-factly, and karl studied him, blinking. alex suddenly felt hot, like he was being studied under a microscope.

“oh.” he said softly, playing with the sleeves of his sweater. he paused. “well, that’s better than smelling sweaty on any day. and that makes me feel better.” he winks at alex for the second time that night, and all alex can do is laugh. they talk for about an hour after that, what their plans are for breakfast tomorrow, the latest fist fight at school, what insult karl’s dad had pulled next out of his deck of cards. yet, the entire time, karl kept it light and breezy, mentioning how his therapist told him not to react and he’d be fine. alex wished it was that easy: emotional control. he usually let his thoughts get the best of him without even meaning to, leading him into a lot of spirals he probably could’ve avoided. but, whenever he’s with karl, he feels like he can relax. it’s like a wave of peace washes over him, switching off the part of his brain that tells him to overreact.

now, he’s lying awake, alone with his thoughts as karl lays beside him, chest rising and falling slowly. he can hear a light rain begin to patter on the windows, filling the room with a calm aura that makes his eyes drowsy, his eyelids slowly coming to a close. he feels karl shift in his sleep, turning in his direction and throwing an arm and a leg around him, burying his face in alex’s shirt. alex sighs, covering his face with his hand. he’s a hopeless case, and he doesn’t even realize it yet.

**Author's Note:**

> please tell me what u thought!! :D hope u enjoyed!


End file.
